Docility
by Syrubis
Summary: Megamind thought he was prepared for Metro Man's downfall but when the city fights back it's up to Roxanne to save the idiots life. Now that she's imprisoned him with a promise to be the obedient dog he has no idea what to do with himself, that's until Roxanne shows him she's not as sane as he once thought and Metro City discovers they have more than one Villain to deal with.
1. Nothing to Gain (Part 01)

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**Docility**

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By **Syrubis** (_Hyenism_)

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Updated **THURSDAYS **Every **Second** Week  
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Notes from the Author

_Megamind thought he was prepared for Metro Man's downfall but when the city finally takes matters into their own hands it's up to Roxanne to save the idiots life. Now that she's imprisoned him with a promise to be the obedient dog he has no idea what to do with himself, that's until Roxanne shows him she's not as sane as he once thought and Metro City discovers they have more than one Villain to deal with, it's just unfortunate they disposed of one to gain another even more unpredictable._

(This story is from the perspective of the sinister Megamind, for more Fanfiction check out Insecurities, or from the perspective of Roxanne check out Noir et Bleu)

I was thinking about what to classify this as, it's not really an evil Roxy/Megamind but there will be some rather dark parts so I guess I'll just call them… Crazy :3 Completely and utterly barking mad and we'll even throw in some loopy. Plenty of spontaneous murder and luffy duffy fluff. Just to make y'all hate me. Seriously, this story is going to have no reason for some of the madness, sure there'll be a story behind it but I plan on straying into "what the collective f's and why?" territory pretty often, that's just how I roll. XD

I answer all reviews at the bottom of the chapters, and though I try to avoid spoilers I cannot guarantee that there won't be any so keep this in mind if you decide to read them. I'll answer any questions to the best of my abilities but if for whatever reason you don't find a reply to your review then it will be under the following chapter or I've decided not to reply. (Usually for harsh criticism or the review didn't seem to need any sort of reply.)

After reviews on appropriate chapters there will be a small section devoted to facts on the criminal mind and how they have been used in the story. Though they will often contain spoilers I recommend reading those if certain parts get confusing. A lot of people don't know these things, it's not common knowledge, and while obvious to some readers many actions can seem pointless and won't make clear sense.

**WARNINGS  
**There will be graphic gore, violence, langue and sexual scenes and themes alone the lines of abuse, murder, torture and several other troubling topics along with good old fashioned fluff and sexual frustration. I can assure you that there are some people who just won't like it, and then some who will have their demented bone thoroughly tickled... If any of these things offended you than just don't read, no angry comments or horrid reviews. If you don't like it, don't tell me. If on the other hand you like it but have CONSTRUCTIVE criticism than please! I'm not going to get any better if you don't point out my flaws! I'm here to get better not protect my delicate ego.

When I write I don't really go back and review properly, I check for spelling errors and grammar, give it a quick once over to see if it flows okay than pack and ship! It means I tend to not have my work as polished as it should be… If you notice anything I'd appreciate it if it was pointed out :3

And lastly, because I wouldn't be me if I didn't ask, review! Tell me if you like it! I don't want to write things that suck and no reviews = suckage with the story! Don't let me suck D:  
XD

The Internal Monologues will be in _ITALIC_  
Notes, data or information read will be in **BOLD **or `_Italic_`

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**Chapter One xXx Nothing to Gain (Part 01)**

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Song for Inspiration

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The skies were shrouded in grey as the fires bellow flickered in and out of existence, golden orbs of light floating through the air as they crumbled to nothing and fell like ashen rain. He'd done it, he'd destroyed Metro Man in one final and glorious showdown and now here he was with smoke filling his lungs and blood stinging his eyes. It had been quick, painless, he owed the hero that much. What he hadn't anticipated to such a scale was the reaction of the hellish Metro City. He'd given it all he had but he just didn't have enough. That's why he was here, huddled behind a bin in the putrid smelling alleys of the poverty stricken lower towns. He'd run like a coward, hidden like one and now he was surely dying.

Sirens whistled down the main streets, the last of the flames drowned in under a minute while angry civilians still marched, many with guns or knives. They were out for blood and had gotten more than enough. Now there would be no more destruction, not from him at least. The world shifted and he suspected his muscles were giving way, the thud of his body as it doubled over giving him no pain, just a new view. It wasn't pleasant like he'd imagined this 'dying' thing to be. No white tunnel, no relatives. He never wanted to die but he'd never feared it, not like he did now. He was scared and he was hurting and there was no one there. He wanted to be with someone. Anyone, but here wasn't a single person on earth who didn't want him to die.

The sound of running feet entered the street, flooding it like a pin drop in a silent room. He thought they would keep going, they didn't. Instead they slowed and rounded his last defense, their owner dropping to their knees before him. A cold hand on his face, pressure on his chest and he was sitting again. He could see the grime covered blue metal of the bin, food clinging to it. He couldn't see who held him, supported him because he couldn't do so himself.

"Don't even think about it." Came a feminine growl, it was familiar but not identifiable.

"I'm pretty sure you're thinking about it enough for the both of us." He croaked in reply. "You want me to die slower?"

"Just shut up and get moving."

"Where?" he hissed through gritted teeth as he was pulled to his feet. The pressure on his chest grew more painful and it felt as though there was something pushed against his side.

"Come on, I've got you." She said gently but the desperation in her voice was unmistakable.

He dragged his feet, one after the other and allowed himself to be guided, most of his weight supported but the smaller figure beside him. Pitiful, so very pitiful. His lids were heavy, his vision blurred as though he was trying to see things at the entrance to a long dark tunnel. His body felt numb and he was only just aware of the pungent liquid that clung to his skin, silken, smooth and warm.

The longer they ran the more he felt like he was being dragged. She was buckling beneath his weight and he felt briefly guilty. Was this a rescue? Was this the person he'd longed to be with him as he died? Who were the gods to answer his call after all he'd done? The figure stumbled and he tried to wedge his feet in place to stop their fall, it did naught and the two collided with cold, hard stone.

"Who… Who are you?" he grunted, turning his head till dull green met vibrant blue. He knew those eyes better than anyone, but why? Why here? Why now? "M-Miss Ritchie?"

"Hold on, you're going to be okay." She soothed, pulling him onto her lap and calling toward the street. "He's here! I've got him!" she waved someone over.

"Grab his arm, we- o…"

The world melded together, spinning into an abyss that was intent on leaving nothing behind. Words joined together, voices got lost. Any recognition he had of the people around him disappeared and all too quickly there was nothing.

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The air was cold, biting at his heated flesh and causing his body to recoil slightly with each icy breeze. He couldn't tell where his limbs were, couldn't move them. His body felt like it had rolled into a sphere and he couldn't tell what went where. There were voices but he couldn't pinpoint their location. What happened? Where was he? He struggled to remember what he was doing last, the most recent point that he could recall was an explosion, the one he caused. Then gun fire. He'd been hiding and then there where steps, a gentle voice. Roxanne, she'd found him and dragged him away from the fire. She'd saved him? Why? He was evil, he'd killed her lover, among many others. The whole city seemed like it had gone up in flames, there were so many screams, so much fear.

Something moved beside him, a twitch followed by another. Was that his arm? He tried to move something, anything, and again the thing beside him shuddered with the effort. He tried to open his eyes but everything felt heavy, like they hadn't seen use in a long time.

Where was he?

_Roxanne?_ He asked the darkness, asked but made no noise. He tried to find his tongue but it was numb, virtually immovable as were his lips. He suspected any noise he tried to make would come up in nothing but a gurgle. The sounds all around him faded in and out, on and off but they settled the longer he lay there, at least he thought he was laying. In all honesty he could have been tied up and hanging from the ceiling and wouldn't have the slightest idea.

"Good morning Sir!" came an unusually chipper voice from an unknown direction. It faded slightly at random intervals and the result was an almost robotic tone. He inhaled deeply, his chest shuddered, but there was still no noise. Several moments later something sharp pierced the skin of his arm and it felt as though liquid ice was inserted into his veins, he flinched.

"What was that?"

"I'm not sure…"

There was another sharp jab, more liquid ice. Again his body flinched.

"Is that a response? Is he conscious?"

"You'd know better than I."

His eyelids flickered, a slit of white so dominating he was forced to wedge them closed again. Bright, far too bright.

"Megamind?" a voice asked, something warm touching his brow.

"R-Ritchie." He acknowledged, his voice crackling and painful, he felt something slide down the back of his throat and soon identified it as blood. He'd meant to say more but his body just wasn't willing to comply.

"Sir! Sir!" squealed the other voice, Minion. It had to be. His eyelids fluttered again and once more the light burnt his eyes, he ignored it, forcing them wider until the blurred roof above him began to take form. They were steady for a moment but they began to roll back. He closed his eyes again.

"Take it easy, you'll hurt them." Roxanne soothed and a damp cloth was placed over them, she seemed to be wiping at his cheeks too, his eyes must have been watering. "You can hear us, right?"

"Hmm." He murmured, flexing his fingers in her direction.

"Good, I'm glad. They were damaged from the sound of the explosion, I did my best but I'm certainly no doctor."

He considered this for a minute, concentrating on various noises to assure his hearing was the same as he remembered it. His left was not as good as his right, things sounded murky, dull. _Infection_, one Roxanne had already started treating. Roxanne continued.

"You were hurt bad, I couldn't do much for the scarring-"

Sensitive skin along his ribs, stomach, upper back, cheek.

"But they've healed fairly well, not completely though so I've had to give you antibiotics and painkillers pretty often-"

The liquid ice, she'd been adjusting the drip. Explains the numbness and difficulty locating parts of his body.

"I was worried your body would reject them but Minion told me how you've treated yourself over the years. He's been very helpful."

No grunting of heavy metal, no whirr of a motor. Minion was in the room but had no body. Splash of water, tink as minion got too close to the glass. His bowl was intact but the machine damaged beyond Roxanne's capabilities to repair it. Beyond Minions, possible completely destroyed. _Minion was fine_.

"I would have used your medicines, I'm sure they're more advanced than ours but the lair…"

_Destroyed, too, no doubt._

"She salvaged a lot of it though!" Minion interrupted enthusiastically. He smirked and could hear Roxanne's breath of relief.

"Don't force yourself to move too soon. I'll get you some more pillows and help prop you up, will you be okay by yourself for a minute."

"Hmm."

"Alright, won't be long." She chirped as she hurried from the room. He risked opening his eyes again, blinking and squinting for several minutes as he waited for everything to clear and his eyes to stop hurting.

The ceiling was fairly high, concrete with long neon bulbs which indicated that he was in some sort of garage. The metal shelves and hanging tools he could see vaguely from the corner of his eye backed up this theory but he was still too weak to sit up and fully take in his surroundings. He struggled to lift his arm, the weight of it feeling as though it were tied down but after several attempts he was able to move it and rest it on his stomach, feeling around with semi-numb fingers for the wounds he knew would be there. Unfortunately everything had already been bandaged and he was unable to analyze them himself. He'd have to trust Roxanne and Minion did an exceptional job, though he was alive. That was probably evidence enough.

His mind was catching up quickly, the blank spots in his memory filling in full colour animation. Even the moments leading up to what he was sure would be death seemed crystal clear, too perfect really. Details he'd missed at the time so obvious he felt ashamed. He could recall each moment like a photo, could smell the bin he hid behind like a coward, the red blood that coated his blue skin. Roxanne had come to his rescue, it was to her that he owed his life. A debt he could never repay. What would she ask of him? What could he do worthy of such a… Kind act. No, that wasn't right…

_Kind, the act itself was kind, generous, charitable towards I, myself, the one requiring charitiy. Pittiful, she took pity, pathetic creature in need of assistance, aid, help, help doing what I could no longer accomplish on my own. For gratitude, praise, benefit, profit, to owe a debt as great as one's life, used against me, blackmail, bribery, extortion, extortionist. Blackmailer. Criminal. Immoral. Dishonest… Deceitful… Underhanded. The act of kindness was a lie from a devious and scheming woman to which I owe no debt. Other than the debt of my life to which she has yet to ask to be settled._

He groaned as his mind restarted, attempting to figure it all out again but still coming to the same conclusion. What did she earn from this? What could he do that would profit her in any way? The door swung open again, thudding shut behind the set of feather-light steps that indicated she wasn't wearing shoes. Her clothing sounded soft, light, comfortable and therefore not public clothing which only lead him to the conclusion that he was in or near a place of comfort, her or a friend's home but since the friend had yet to appear he leaned towards the idea of being in her own home.

This woman who hated him prior to the destructive events of last night, no, his wounds were closed and healing, his body tired. Two weeks. Two weeks since the death of her love and she had opened her home, assumingly on the night of the explosion to the very man responsible with no apparent hopes of profit or getting even. She tended his wounds, kept him alive, prolonged his suffering? No, he was in no pain though he should have been, therefore she was preventing it. _Taking care of him_. Care…

"Hey, I got some pillows and another blanket, it's fairly warm in here and we've been keeping your chest uncovered so it doesn't get all gross but I'm always more comfortable with a blanket, especially when I'm sick. It's actually one of yours to be honest, it was so pretty I didn't want to leave it behind and Minion said it was your favorite. We didn't give this one to you at first because you just kept bleeding-"

Rambling, a sign of nervousness, unease. She was uneasy in his presence, only now that he was conscious. Excessive bleeding, medical condition, low iron,_ Anemia._ No longer an issue, cured, healed, fixed, repaired.

"Alright hold on a second" she said and he suddenly felt warm hands around his shoulder, pressed against his chest as she moved him and slid something under his back. He wanted to jerk way, to yell at her, warn her never to touch him as his whole body set alight, screaming in protest as her hands seemed to thrum with electric heat. He grimaced, his fingers twitching as they tried to take hold of anything they could, his arms still dead weight. She let him settle, moved her hands away and stepped back. The places where she'd been felt like a blister was forming beneath them. He shuddered.

He could see the room now, he was right, it was a garage. His bed had been shoved against the far wall where he could see the rolling shutter, the cold cement walls and floor and all around him damaged machines, burnt remnants of his home. All this he knew to be his own. Not even half but enough to fill the area, and enough to tell him it would have taken considerable effort to even save this.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixing firmly to the woman before him. She was wearing baggy sweat pants and a singlet, her hair hanging to the nape of her neck; longer than he'd last seen it. _Three weeks_. Her eyes were bloodshot a ringed with grey, _Sleep Deprivation_. Her hands where scrapped, her nails unkempt, _Hard Labor_. She stepped back uneasily, weight uneven as she forced it towards her left rather than her right, her leg lifted subtly from the floor, even, the injury was to her leg and not her foot. She smiled, her mouth was dry. _Dehydration_. She was thin _Malnutrition_. She was _Stressed._

"How… How are you feeling?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly in concern. She was worried, fearful. She didn't like him hurt? Sick? Incapable of taking care of himself.

"Fine" he hissed, the strain on his vocals considerably more painful than he expected.

"I'm sorry about the lair, Sir." Minion said sadly, he was sitting on a bench near his bed, wide eyed. Also concerned. Different dome, she'd bought him a new bowl.

"S'fine" he said again, swallowing dryly.

"Here." Roxanne was suddenly close again, her hands cradling a small glass of water which he attempted to take. "No, don't, you can barely move, you'll hurt yourself." She scolded, lifting the edge to his lips. "I kept you hydrated as best I could but you've been out for way too long, little sips or you'll choke."

He leaned his head away but had virtually nowhere to go but into the cushions, eventually he complied, parting his lips enough to let a trickle of water flood his mouth, it was cold. Delicious, but difficult to swallow. She moved away sooner than he'd like.

"Don't overdo it." She warned, holding the cup a short way from him before bringing it back once she deemed he'd waited enough. He tried for a bigger mouthful this time and it just splashed down his chin, she sighed and wiped it away, her eyes growing with concern again. The trails of her fingers burning.

"Don't" he said flatly, leaning away when she attempted to give him more water.

"Okay." She replied hesitantly. "Did… Did you want me to leave? I'm sure you'd like some time alone with-"

"No… You… Can stay." He whispered. It was getting easier to talk. He didn't want her to go. Such weakness. He was vulnerable, she already knew that. She could stay.

His eyes fluttered slightly and she sighed. "Get some rest."

"Stay" he repeated and she smiled. Minion smiled too. He blinked a few more times before his eyelids grew too heavy and he struggled to continue staring at them, it was a battle lost before it had even begun and he fell asleep almost instantly.

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His mind slowly pulled itself from the abyss that was sleep, heavy and confusing as it was. He didn't open his eyes yet but he was instantly aware of the warmth tracing his cheek. Back and forth, back and forth. It burnt trails along his flesh.

Touching, Stroking, Caressing. A romantic action? He sorted through all the times he'd seen it until he remembered a scene fitting this. A mother waiting for her child to wake up from a coma. Mothering, Maternal. Comforting, kind. She was concerned for him, trying to comfort him even though she thought he wasn't aware. He was confused.

"What… Doing?" he coughed, his eyelids fluttering open to see her weary face. She still wasn't sleeping.

"Just checking on you." She replied guiltily, leaning away. She was sitting next to him with her legs hanging over the edge of the bed. The bed smelt of her. She wasn't sleeping well. He was in her bed. Self Sacrifce?

"Where are you sleeping?" he asked, well demanded really. It wasn't as intimidating as he expected because his voice crackled.

"Er… On the couch."

"Why?"

"You're in the bed."

"Why?"

"You need it more than I do and if you ask why one more time I'm going to hit you."

"Why?" he asked again, a tone of his usual sarcasm. She smiled.

There was several moment of silence before Roxanne spoke again. "I thought you might not wake up again." She confessed, looking away.

"How long… Did I sleep?"

"Eight hours."

"You sat there?"

"Well, I did use the bathroom once."

"Why?"

"Well when humans drink-" she started, amusement twitching at her lips.

"Why stay, I'm the- The bad guy." He interrupted, still finding it hard to talk.

"Yes you are, and you asked, remember?."

"Good guys don't watch bad guys." He croaked.

"Well I guess it's a good thing I'm not a good guy, hey? Or a bad thing I guess, a good thing I'm a bad guy, good for me maybe…"

Rambling, _unease_, aversion of eye contact, _guilt_, clenching of hands, _anger_.

"Why are you guilty?"

"Don't ask questions that don't concern you" she said dully.

_Defensive, slightly hostile and ashamed_. Murder?

The two sat in silence for some time, Roxanne offered him water on occasion but for the most part they just sat and stared at the door, the junk and the overall depressive room he found himself in. Something felt as though it were looming, waiting for the right moment to strike but whatever it was he just couldn't figure it out and one glance at the reporter beside him suggested she just wanted to forget. She seemed beyond troubled.

"Can you… Help…' he started, unsure of how to ask for her aid in such a matter. "The bathroom." He eventually croaked.

"Oh, umm, right. Okay, hang on." She slid from the chair and was instantly fussing around his shoulders, lifting his chest slightly till he was sitting completely, her arm the only thing supporting him. Was she going to _carry_ him? No, he wasn't going to have that, besides she was hurt, too.

"Don't-"

"Hang on, I'm just going to get minion, he can't fit through the door so I'll have to get you into the hall myself." She said, almost bolting towards the small wooden door beside the bed. He tried to call after her but she was gone so fast he was left with whiplash.

The imprints of her hands still tingling. He wasn't going to just sit there while everyone carried him around. He didn't rely on anyone, ever. He didn't need to. Working up his strength he swung he legs over the edge of the bed. They were heavy and sore and he had trouble placing his feet flat on the cold ground but determination of the mind could always overcome the body and he was most certainly determined. In this position he could see the amount of weight he'd lost. His muscle dangerously diminished. _Muscle Atrophy_. It would be difficult to move at all but he just needed to make it to the 'hall'.

Staggering to his feet he supported himself with the edge of the chair, willing strength to his legs that just wasn't there. He ignored it and attempted a step, he was shaky and unbalanced but when he let go of the chair and didn't plummet to the ground he took this as a good sign.

He stretched his arms in front of him, feeling the strain of unused muscles as he clenched and unclenched his hands, curled his toes and took another uneasy step followed by another. He wasn't exactly agile but he made it to the door with no issues and eventually pulled the handle and let the door fall open.

Roxanne and Minion where both standing down the corridor, hall. Minion's suit was working but clearly damaged, definitely too big to fit through the door.

"Sir! What are you doing?! You're going to hurt yourself." Minion squealed, rushing forward.

"Nonsense" he smirked, winking towards Roxanne who looked both worried and a little irritated. Minion snaked a metal arm around his waist which certainly helped for support and he instantly slumped into his friends guidance.

"Don't be so stubborn, you can't just get up and start walking around whenever you feel like. You're body has been through a lot, it needs time to recover." Roxanne said sternly, crossing her arms but maintaining the concerned glint in her blue eyes.

"I'm aware." He huffed defensively, being navigated closer to the woman.

"Mhmm" she grumbled as the two passed her by.

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The next few days were spent mainly in bed, he wasn't allowed any freedom and Roxanne had insisted on helping him eat and drink for the first couple of meals. He recovered quickly, however, and after a few more days of being able to stand and make his way, almost on his own, to the bathroom she finally agreed to let him shower. He was clean, cleaner than he should be and he dreaded to think how many times she'd taken care of this issue herself but thankfully since he'd been awake she'd let him take care of most things on his own. Like wiping his own chin for one.

She escorted him carefully towards the bathroom door, he could hold most of his own weight now but the extra support was very much welcomed, the touching involved however still proved a difficult concept for him to grasp. He couldn't understand why she didn't recoil or appear in any way uncomfortable, he on the other hand could feel her touch for hours after and wasn't able to decide if it was comforting or irritating.

Leading him into the cold room she allowed him to lean against the basin as she began pouring him a bath, the steamy water fogging up the mirrors instantly. While it was running he decided on working on his shirt, a white button up thing he detested though she claimed it was so she could tell if he split any wounds. He was sure it was some sort of joke between her and minion but had let her excuse stand. His fingers shook as he attempted to undo the first button and he'd only been attempting for about a minute before much smaller hands pushed his aside and Roxanne started working her way down the top, each button sliding out gracefully with minimum resistance.

His body tensed as her eyes continued, locked onto his shirt.

Uncomfortable. Awkward. Embarrassing. He couldn't pinpoint the reason for his sudden unease but decided that her helping him undress was certainly not an option. He grabbed her wrists and she looked up confused.

"I was just-"

"Don't." he said flatly, resuming the unfinished task on his own, still unsuccessfully one might add. Roxanne stepped back slightly and eventually sighed with acceptance before turning back to the bath. He continued his failing attempt.

Feeble, useless, inept, pathetic. _Pitiful_.

"Oh just let me help you." She laughed, smacking away his hands gently as she continued where she'd left off. He stepped back, again pushing her hands away.

"I'm not incompetent." He growled, she looked even more confused than before.

"I never said you were…"

"You can leave."

"You're having trouble, just let me-"

"No, why do you seem so keen on taking my clothes off, Miss Ritchie?" He said, quirking his eyebrows though it did naught to relieve him of the uneasy feeling in his chest.

"Why are you so shy about losing them." She countered. "If it helps I've already-"

"Okay, you can go, out, shoo, be gone with you." He smirked, shooing her away as she made a few quick steps towards the door, she turned back with a smirk that certainly rivaled his own.

"Coward."

"Pervert."

She laughed and slid from the room, shutting the door behind her. He didn't hear her footsteps down the hall. She was still by the door, she'd probably stay there until he was done. He continued struggling with his shirt.

"Still not off is it?" Roxanne called in some ten minutes later, he almost snarled.

"No." he huffed, dropping his hands in an almost childish hissy fit.

"Willing to let me help you now?" she laughed through the door.

"Pretend I'm not willing and you're giving me no choice." He grumbled as she let herself back in.

"Oh, so you're into role-play?"

"Because of all my fantasies this is the one I'd pick to enact with you."

"I'm sure I could play the role well. Or if you really want to go for something better I've got a nurse outfit."

"And why have you not been wearing this?" he chuckled, his body tensing again as she helped him with his shirt.

"Now who's the pervert?"

"Who's the one forcefully undressing me?"

Roxanne grinned devilishly, sliding the shirt over his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. He shuddered slightly and was glad it was completely lost to the reporter. "There, all done. Was it good for you?" she said with a rather suggestive smile.

"Minx. Now get out." He smirked.

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Chapter End ~

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Replies to Reviews

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Story : 4567 , Notes : 619

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_Like my stories? Why not check out some of my personal works at Fictionpress?_

_I'd love the support :3 You can also find me over on Deviantart! (Syrubis)_

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	2. Nothing to Gain (Part 02)

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**Docility**

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By **Syrubis** (_Hyenism_)

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Updated **THURSDAYS **Every **Second** Week  
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Notes from the Author

**Last Chapter**_ ~ Megamind killed Metro Man in one final and glorious showdown only to be attacked and almost killed by the people of Metro city afterwards. The lovely Roxanne saved his life but after waking up in her home and finding his wounds tended he's keen to know why and in what way the situation benefits her._

(This story is from the perspective of the sinister Megamind, for more Fanfiction check out Insecurities, or from the perspective of Roxanne check out Noir et Bleu)

Chapter two up and ready to go, a week early to boot. Though it's all waaa I hate everything. Let's never have another chapter like it :3 As always if you like then ReViEw! You know I'm a review junkie, or at least you should, if not you'll learn fast. XD This chapter was followed up with a small section on why I did things and some facts on the psychology I've decided to use. Hoping you'll find it interesting and look forward to reading what you guys think about it. Anyway, on to the story!

The Internal Monologues will be in _ITALIC_  
Notes, data or information read will be in **BOLD **or `_Italic_`

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**Chapter Two xXx Nothing to Gain (Part 02)**

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Nothing worked. Nothing worked! Not his fingers, not his brain. Sight and sound all faulty. Like a machine wired incorrectly with one fault it all went to hell. Almost a week and he still couldn't do anything on his own, not a thing! Roxanne's house was like a prison. No, to him prison was home, comfy and familiar. No this was anything but. He was trapped like an animal, pacing from the dingy garage down the hall and then back again. He wasn't allowed upstairs and the first floor consisted of nothing but a kitchen, bathroom and spare room full of his junk. He was getting bored and impatient with his recovery, normally by now he'd be fully healed but without his medicines… Without his lab! He couldn't do anything but walk backwards and forwards on legs that still shook. His fingers, once so nimble couldn't even undo the buttons of the stupid polyester shirt let alone align wires most humans would need tools for. His whole body was failing him.

He was sure if he was ignorant this captivation would be bearable but to know he could fix this, fix everything in a matter of days, was more excruciating than the pain in his muscles and the fever in his head. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to be furious and point blame but how could he when every time that blasted woman descended the stairs into his little piece of hell she cooed and coddled him like a child, catering to his every whim. He couldn't tell if he was a guest or a prisoner. Sometimes he'd tell himself it wasn't her fault, his body was the traitor, his mind the weakness. Other times he wanted her to die for the hell she brought him back to, sure that this was the reason he lived, so she could watch him suffer.

He started the sixty fourth lap from garage to the end of the hall, growing increasingly more irritated every time his legs began to give way, every trip and stumble. His body just wasn't listening!

"Megamind, for god's sake, stop pacing." Roxanne sighed as she came down the stairs, bring a hand to her forehead.

Another headache, watching T.V all night instead of sleeping. Ringed eyes, slouch, and rumpled bed wear, all evidence.

"No, now go to sleep, you never sleep, It's not like I'm going anywhere. You don't need to _patrol_."

"I'm not _patrolling_, I'm just sick of you stomping around. You're not going to get better if you keep this up; you're just wearing yourself into the ground."

"How is that your concern?" He snapped "I didn't ask for your help!"

"You would rather I left you there to die?" she hissed back, her teeth clenched though obviously taken aback.

"Yes!" He growled in reply. There was a deep intake of breath nearby, something all to familiar to the genius.

"Sir! You take that back right now!"

He crossed his arms childishly, turning his back to the reporter and folding his arms defensively as Minion stomped down the stairs, his damaged machinery making an assortment of unhealthy noises. This did nothing but infuriate Megamind more, further reminder that those simple fixes could be accomplished in minutes if his body would only… heal.

"Sir, Miss Ritchie has done nothing but care for you since you were attacked, you should show her some respect!"

"It's fine Minion." Roxanne sighed. "I'm going to go get some rest…" she made her way back upstairs without saying goodnight, or good afternoon as the case was, and Minion grumbled to himself before taking on his most scolding tone.

"Really, Sir, you don't need to be so stubborn."

Stubborn? How was he being stubborn? He was being held captive by a woman who was using his weakness against him, prolonging his suffering and refusing to reveal her benefit to any part of the situation and making no hint as to what she would be expecting in return for his life. She was toying with him, quite obviously, and Minion only made matters worse by siding against him.

"I'm not being stubborn."

"Think about it, Sir."

Stubborn, willful, unruly, difficult. Making it hard for Miss Ritchie to care for him? No, definitely not. Because she wasn't, he was being held against his will, unwilling, reluctant, perhaps reluctant to admit he was wrong? No, why? She wasn't gaining anything, kindness, compassion, sympathy, words used to describe the situation as it was but things were never as they seemed. There was something else, there had to be, and there always was.

He didn't understand it and there had always been very few things beyond his comprehension. Miss Ritchie was a reporter and obvious friend and lover of the city's most famous hero, whom he had killed in cold blood. What sane person would then go out of their way to assist the person responsible for the unfair act?

Unfair? Unjust, biased. Yes, perhaps, but not unfair. He deserved to die, but why would he be allowed to live and only because of the act of his closest ally? She had to be gaining something, anything! There had to be an ulterior motive! It was a fact and yet it couldn't be, he doubted himself, his mind and his ability to not only understand a situation but predict its direction. This wasn't right, something wasn't right. Was it him or her?

"Thought about it, not stubborn."

"Then think about it again." Minion scolded more firmly. He wasn't going to. Instead he wobbled his way back towards the garage and slid into bed. Minion followed him to the door and sat in the hall, his body powering down and Megamind assumed his friend was going to join him for a nap. Nobody was sleeping regular hours because of him, that wasn't fair, even he knew that. He didn't ask for it though, why should he feel responsible?

His stomach hurt. He was stressing again.

The hours passed by quickly, the genius curled up under the covers like a child as he played through his situation again and again. He didn't understand it, any of it. He felt helpless and he couldn't think of a way out, his mind, brilliant unfaultable mind, was failing him. If he couldn't rely on himself then who could he rely on? His body was feeble and uncontrollable, his thoughts blurry and distorted, his best friend against him on everything since the moment he opened his eyes to a world that didn't make sense, didn't match up to anything he knew to be true. He felt more alone than he'd ever felt before.

He wanted to go upstairs but he could never make it past the ninth step without running out of breath or almost falling backwards. He understood that in his condition he'd need time to recover but the feeling of helplessness was impairing his judgment in many ways. He knew this, it was as much a fact to him as the sky was blue but when it all came down to it he wasn't able to listen to his own reasoning and every moment he was trying, and failing, to do something, made him more and more incapable of following his own instructions. His mind was fine as long as he stayed still, closed himself off to everything but himself but the moment he had to leave his sanctuary, he'd fall apart. It wasn't a choice, he had to leave, had to move, get better but it only made him worse. He had to choose between accurate processing or physical performance. It was a choice he couldn't make. There was no one without the other.

Footsteps above his head made the roof creak and groan. Roxanne was up again, she didn't get enough sleep, she should still be out cold. She wasn't eating properly, wasn't sleeping, wasn't responding well either physically or emotionally. He was putting a lot of stress on her and knew it. He knew it now, when he wasn't on the verge of a mental breakdown. He still couldn't figure out what she wanted from him, to go through so much it had to be something immense but during his down time that didn't seem such an issue anymore. The bigger issue was her health.

She walked around upstairs for a while, sounds of water, clicking as the stove was lit. Cooking, probably for him. She did it every day, three times a day. She wouldn't let minion do it… Was she poisoning him? No, no that wasn't feasible. He tried to ignore the sounds, take his mind off it. It didn't work well and he spent the majority of his time thinking about not thinking about her cooking for him. Pointless, completely and utterly pointless. She was going to come down with food, expect him to eat, sit with him, help him hold the utensils. It just made things worse, every time she got to close his hands would shake and to make it better she'd touch them and they'd burn, it would hurt to hold anything. Ice ran down his spine and he couldn't concentrate. She didn't need be so close to him, didn't need to hover but she did, every time! He couldn't take it! He didn't need to be watched and coddled!

"Megamind?"

He sat up quickly, he didn't hear her come down, wasn't ready yet. She moved to place the dish on his lap and he reacted negatively, pushing away from her and almost spilling the food everywhere.

"Sorry." She whispered with a guilty expression. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine." He mumbled, keeping a close eye on her hands as she pulled over the stall she regularly sat on and began picking at her own food. He didn't know what it was, some sort of pasta? His eyes darted from his bowl to hers to her hands for several minutes. He could feel the unease already. She was to close, her knees were leaning against the side of the bed, she was tilted towards him, if she slipped she'd land on him…

He started eating. The food was warm but not hot, in case he spilt it, a white plastic 'spork' so he wouldn't hurt himself. Smaller portion than her own because he couldn't always finish his. Considerate, kind, thoughtful, caring, selfless… Selfless, a word he hadn't come to before. Unselfish, generous, self-sacrificing. These things fit the situation. He didn't want them to, they didn't make sense.

"You're not eating again." She observed, looking at him with bloodshot eyes.

"You're still not sleeping properly. Why aren't you at work?"

"I've told you before, I'm on holiday."

_Holiday, vacation, relaxation. Beaches, resorts, parks, fun, something she certainly wasn't having any of. Lies, falsehoods, untruthful, withholding information, something she didn't want him to know. Why? Because he'd react badly? Deceit, treachery, untrustworthy, am I wrong to trust her? I don't trust her. Do I? I rely on her, reliance, dependence, I know she'll be here to provide for me. No, trust she'll be here. Why? For what purpose? _

He groaned, bringing his hands to his temples.

"Something wrong?"

"This, all of this."

"The food? I can make you something else-"

"No, no you can't. Shouldn't. You aren't acting right; you're not following, trailing, tracking. No, no. Not keeping to, sticking to. Not obeying a process! You're not doing what you're supposed to! Observation proves you shouldn't be acting this way!"

"How on earth should I be acting?" She asked, sitting back in her chair at his uncharacteristic outburst in which he didn't make complete and flawless sense.

"Not like this, I'm not a child, not family, not friend, not guest, you owe me nothing, won't tell me what I will owe you, what I _do_ owe you, what you want from me or what you get out of this. You're not nasty, you're not treating me like a prisoner, and you're going out of your way to make me comfortable which, as a fact, people do not do for people they despise. You act sincere, like I'm of importance to you but it's impossible so you _must_ be lying, you're deceitful in your actions and your words but you continue acting as you are and I can't see what your benefit in any of this actually is!"

"I'm not being deceitful. Why are you being like this? I thought I was doing the right thing-"

"What could you possibly mean by that? The right thing for whom?"

"Was I supposed to have let you die?"

"I kill people! I deserve to die!"

"And if I'd left you I would be a killer too." She said, frowning.

"So that's it, you don't want to be like me, you're trying to prove you aren't like me, that's it right?"

"No! That's not it at all! What on earth would I get from proving that? You're not making sense." She gasped, appalled at his words.

"No, you are not making sense. Nothing about this makes sense!"

"What? I saved your life and you, what, hate me for it? Did you want to die?"

"No… I… No I don't hate you." He said slowly. His outburst suddenly cut short as his face lost any traces of irritation. It didn't last. "Why did you do it then?"

"Because I wanted to!"

"Why? What are you gaining! You're making yourself sick because of me!"

"Because I didn't want you to die!"

"Why? I'm the bad guy! There must be something you want!"

"Have you ever considered I don't want anything from you?"

"It's impossible."

"Why? Why are you so sure that I expect something from you?"

"Because that's just not how people work! People don't do things like this unless they benefit" he snapped. "What. Is. Your. Benefit?!"

"Fine! Alright! You, you are my god damn benefit. I saved you because I'm selfish, because I didn't want to see you gone, because I wanted a world where you existed and not one where you didn't! That's why I saved you! It's a reason, a selfish reason! Are you happy now!" she yelled, standing and slamming her plate down on the chair before almost tripping over Minion in the doorway in her more than speedy exit. He stared after her, half confused and half shocked. He was her benefit? His life was her gain?

That made even less sense then her not gaining anything…

"Miss Ritchie?" Minion called after her, his suit powering on as he wiggled from his bed. "Sir, what on earth was that?" He asked, fins flailing wildly.

"Does she mean my debts paid?"

"What?!"

"I mean, as long as I'm alive I don't owe her anything?"

"Huh? I don't… Well I guess, but that isn't-"

"Shh."

His debt was paid? How, why, because he lived? His life was worth the effort she put in? Did she expect his complete and utter dependency?

I'm her gain.

Nope, there wasn't going to be a thought process on that for a while. Minion left him to his confusion.

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Roxanne didn't come down to give him dinner that night, and was absent in the morning. Minion, however, provided or more familiar meal and something Megamind knew very well. Eggs and bacon, breakfast of kings. Certainly not quite as ornate a food as Minion preferred but by now it was obvious that the genius was in a lot of trouble. He wasn't quite sure he knew why, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty. He'd only been aware of being in Roxanne's house for two weeks and already he was uncomfortable not knowing where she was.

He ate slowly, his handle on the spoon fairly decent, far better than it had been in some time. His hand still shook but without the discomfort of Roxanne looming over him he was able to distinguish the difference between nervous shaking and shaking brought about by his atrophied muscles. His hand was very thin and bony. He didn't like it.

_I'm being taken care of for the sake of my existence, my company maybe? That would make me a pet. Tame, domesticated, and trained? Am I being trained to be docile? Like a wolf taken from the wild and left to sleep by the fire for the rest of its life? Broken. Is she trying to brake me? Control me? A man tames a horse to be ridden, a man tames a dog to hunt, there are many things I can do and plenty that could benefit her, once I'm better._

He chewed his mouthful for a good fifteen minutes as he repeated the thought process several times. That seemed… Feasible… He wanted to ask her but guessed she wouldn't answer. He didn't really ask her anything the day before, simply demanded. He wouldn't like to have answers demanded from him, especially answers he didn't want to share, as he suspected Roxanne didn't. That put him in the wrong.

He ran through his knowledge on behavior towards woman, typically how a man should treat one. Yelling at them was certainly not the right way to go and he'd yelled at her a couple of times during their meeting. He'd demanded she do something she didn't want to and initiated the argument in the first place. Argument? Dispute? He needed to apologize for his inappropriate actions.

He pushed himself off the bed, leaving the remainder of his food by his pillow. Making his way carefully to the staircase he called up.

"Miss Ritchie?"

And waited.

And waited.

Before he finally heard her footsteps getting closer. He sighed a breath of relief but he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Are you okay?" she asked down, appearing at the stop of the stairs in her usual slacks and singlet. She still looked exhausted and quite possibly had been up all night. She didn't seem angry or hurt, just concerned.

"You need to sleep." He scolded and she raised her brow. He looked at his feet. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She said dully, making her way down towards him. He flinched at the unexpected contact on his shoulder but let her steer him back towards the garage and the bed he was stuck in. Too many windows she claimed. Her hands burnt and made his arm twitch against his will but he ignored it, or tried to.

"Am I your pet?" he asked, tilting his head as he turned to her.

"Are you housetrained?"

"I hope so."

"Then we'll see, in the mean time you need to finish your food." She smirked, pushing him gently onto the bed and bringing his meal closer.

"I'll not be hand fed." He said sternly but jokingly, taking the spoon from her and avoiding touching her fingers in the process.

"And I'll not have a pet that bites the hand that feeds it."

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Chapter End ~

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Replies to Reviews

Reviewer : Syanhita

Said : _Great start! Can't wait to read more.__I haven't discovered many mistakes in the text, or at least nothing to distract me from the story.__By the way, your descriptions of thoughts are very well presented. It's all very smooth. Keep up the good work! :)_  
Response : Thanks! I'm glad it read fairly well, I was worried with the thought processes, it's a new style for me that I thought might be interesting. I think they'll take some practice to perfect but I'm glad you liked it :D

Reviewer : VlightPhase

Said : I like it so far. There are several things I hope will be cleared up as the story goes on, such as the beginning. It was confusing what was going on even though I get the gist of it. Also, are they in Roxanne's home? That aside I like how you describe things and getting a look at Megamind's unease and emotional response to it all.

Response : I'm glad :3 I'll try clear up some of the parts not quite clearly explained, I wanted the first chapter to be a little out of it because I'm trying not to show anything that Megamind doesn't know. I'm happy you like it so far though. :3

Reviewer : AnimeFreakKatie

Said : I really want to read more of this! Why IS Roxanne helping him? What is she guilty about? hmmmm?  
Response : Haha, well you'll just have to wait and see. I hope it'll blow minds ;3

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Story : 3153 , Notes : 786

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_Like my stories? Why not check out some of my personal works at Fictionpress?_

_I'd love the support :3_

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Notes

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I came up with the idea for this story after watching the movie with a friend, we were discussing how someone who had grown up under circumstances like that would have a lot of issues, it was a joke at the time but it got me thinking about all the things that would and could have affected him. I decided right from the word go that for the purpose of this story, although he was apparently raised around convicts, he didn't get enough love as a child. This is the starting point to a lot of his issues, mainly Haphephobia. This is going to be a big one for me I think, it's a disorder that can develop at any time in any person's life where they dislike or are physical intolerant of touch. Like any mental disorder there are varied stages and while some will simply feel uncomfortable in extreme cases people may feel as though their skin is burning, blistering, peeling, itching and many other things from even the most simple of contacts.

The human mind is an incredible device, much like a computer, prone to malfunctions and easily filled with viruses, some curable and many not. In rare circumstances Haphephobia will even have physical reactions such as rashes, blisters, marks or anything of the like simply because their mind makes them think it. The intolerance for it actually hurts them even though it's entirely a subconscious reaction. This in itself I find fascinating and plan to use it as a foundation for many of the dramatic parts in my story. Other symptoms of Haphephobie may include, but are not limited to;

Obsessive Thoughts

Difficulty thinking about anything other than the fear

Really bad images and/or movies of being touched

Feelings of unreality or of being detached from yourself

Fear oflosing control or going crazy

Fear of fainting

Dizziness, shaking, palpitations.

Shortness of breath or smothering sensation

Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

Chest pain or discomfort

Trembling or shaking

Feeling of choking

Sweating

Nausea or stomach distress

Feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded, or faint

Numbness or tingling sensations

Hot or cold flashes

That aside, the sheer amount of physical and psychological disorders that arise from neglect and abandonment are astounding, the list is virtually endless and effects everyone very differently. I have to admit it was an interesting experience to go through the lists and pick out what ones I'd use for this story. I decided on several I liked the idea of, and copied a small snippet of what I'll probably introduce to the story.

"Neglected children who are unable to form secure attachments with their primary caregivers may:

Become more mistrustful of others and may be less willing to learn from adults.

Have difficulty understanding the emotions of others, regulating their own emotions, or forming and maintaining relationships with others.

Have a limited ability to feel remorse or empathy, which may mean that they could hurt others without feeling their actions were wrong.

Demonstrate a lack of confidence or social skills that could hinder them from being successful in school, work, and relationships.

Demonstrate impaired social cognition, which is one's awareness of oneself in relation to others and an awareness of other's emotions. Impaired social cognition can lead a person to view many social interactions as stressful."

Another section I looked into was psychological disorders that highly intelligent people were prone to. There is a very direct link between genius and madness and after reading up online discovered this very interesting tidbit.

'Research shows that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia correlate with high creativity and intelligence, raising tantalizing questions: What role does environment play in the path to mental illness?'

Of course there are plenty more quirks the intelligent often develop, I chose something simpler though. OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. Not limited to intelligent people of course but still a big factor in a lot of people's lives, something more relatable I suppose.

Another key point for me will be paranoia. (I'll add more on this later)

I imagine Megamind wasn't raised with any sort of affection or anyone he could rely on (minion aside) and the only person he's ever been really able to rely on is himself and his friend, he's never had anyone else show him kindness or affection that was not expected to be repaid in some way. He's suspicious by nature and with already lacking social skills and emotional issues everything he fears seems far worse to him than to a normal person with a normal upbringing.

I'll go into a bit more detail with it next chapter :3


	3. Retribution

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**Docility**

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By **Syrubis** (_Hyenism_)

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Updated **THURSDAYS **Every **Second** Week  
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Notes from the Author

**Last Chapter**_ ~ The concept of one person doing something for another without benefit is a hard enough subject for Megamind to wrap his head around as it is. Doing something for the benefit of his own life is something entirely different and even the thought of his life being of value to someone else, well, it doesn't take a genius to know there's something very wrong there._

(This story is from the perspective of the sinister Megamind, for more Fanfiction check out Insecurities, or from the perspective of Roxanne check out Noir et Bleu)

Another chapter, delivered on time too, I'm so proud of me XD  
I meant to make it a bit longer to make up for the shorter chapter before but this was better than a late chapter, yes? Anyway, next update will be next week on TUESDAY or the following week on THURSDAY

The Internal Monologues will be in _ITALIC_  
Notes, data or information read will be in **BOLD **or `_Italic_`

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**Chapter Three xXx R****e**_T_r**I**_b_U**t**_I_o**N**

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Song for Inspiration

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Several days on and his recovery was slow, the pace at which he was improving bothering not only him but Roxanne, largely because of his incessant whining he was sure. Regardless, by now it was obvious that, though there was improvement, his healing was progressing at bare minimum and while his appetite had been appropriate several days before he was finding it increasingly difficult to finish his meals. Roxanne had begun to cook him several smaller helpings a day, which helped a little but also put more strain on Megamind's host. He was lost for ideas. Well, not lost be certainly his mind was void of any simple fix, or fix that was within his or Roxanne's current capabilities. Helplessness was a horrible feeling, it both drowned and smothered, his chest contracting painfully if he thought about it for too long.

He'd been bedridden for most of the day, again. Not completely bad though, Roxanne had bought him a rather nice sketch book and some pencils so he'd spent most of his time drawing up blueprints for random small machines. Household appliances and furniture, actually. He'd lost most of his inventions when his lair was destroyed, burnt to the ground according to minion. Anyway, most of it was outdated and could use better replacements. Could have? Didn't matter. They were all trashed so he needed to make some more, it was a refreshing change from designing killing machines but that certainly wasn't to say there wouldn't be plenty more of those eventually. Finding fun people to kill on the other hand would be the most difficult part, he could hardly test things on civilians, they'd just splatter… Lots of mess… That might be fun too, he supposed.

He decided to give his new toaster a random laser and stabbing arm, mostly because it was fun to draw, but also because it would be amusing to have a toaster that could chop people into tiny pieces. He chuckled.

"Something funny, sir?" Minion asked from his bowl beside the bed. A regular place for him it seemed, even if it was a little odd to constantly wake up with an aquatic creature staring at you with their wide fish eyes. He'd been banned from upstairs for the last few days, too many eyes watching through the windows Roxanne claimed.

"Killing toasters." He replied dully.

"Acid spewing kettles?" Minion replied questioningly

"Oh, I like that one."

"Thought you might." Minion smirked, swimming closer to the glass to get a look at his idea as it came to life on the gritty white paper.

The two chuckled over various ideas for a good hour before Roxanne slid through the garage door, a plate of food in each hand. Megamind's fingers instantly began to tremble, his flawlessly straight lines now jagged as he tried to finish before she got close enough to hand him the plate. He didn't, which frustrated him. He didn't like things to be incomplete.

"What are you boys doing?" Roxanne asked as she settled Megamind's food on his lap and carefully placed the sketchbook beside Minion. "I've heard nothing but girly giggles for ages."

"My giggles are not girly." Megamind smirked. "They're manly giggles."

Roxanne raised her eyebrow and Minion laughed briefly before covering his mouth with his fins. Again Megamind noticed how close the reporter sat when they ate together. She always touched the bed in some way, either with her legs or feet, sometimes with one hand while she attempted to balance her dish on her lap. He'd also noticed that she'd do this even when it was obvious she wasn't comfortable. She touched her hair, fidgeted, spoke without making eye contact or the contact was brief, fleeting. All of these things seemed familiar, as though he knew something they all had in common but with her being so close and his body panicking, even though it was mild, he wasn't able to recall. He always promised himself that he'd go through his mental database and figure it all out but once she was gone he wanted nothing but to forget the discomfort he felt during their time together.

Normally reactions like this were never so bad; he'd kidnapped her plenty of times, been touched by her, and leaned in close. He was wearing his gloves though. His skin was covered, safe. He considered several times that it could have been why things like being close were bearable but he'd never considered it before he killed Wayne, and he couldn't very well ask for gloves and high necked tops now. Roxanne was already doing more than she should, paying for extra things was just inconceivable.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"No, nothing."

"You haven't touched your food. Are you feeling okay?"

"No, I'm fine." He said quickly, picking up his spork and shoveling food into his mouth. She smiled but it wasn't a truly… Roxanne… Smile. It was different, and matched remarkable well with the Roxanne sad face he was quickly getting to know very well. She was still tired, stressed and admittedly rather irritable. Even as she ate her eyes were downcast and the grey under them darker than usual. The corners of her mouth were turned down and she chewed slowly, as though the food had no taste. He could tell she wasn't really there, she hadn't been for days. He recognized the symptoms, having lived through it many times only to come out on the other side a changed person in many ways. Depression.

"Roxanne, what's bothering you?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing." She dodged. Lots of no's and nothings today it seemed. He couldn't even scold her because he'd just done the same thing, though his problem wasn't quite the same as hers.

"I've been awake for almost three weeks and you've barely said a word. I don't know anything that happened after Wayne died beside my lair burning down. Something is bothering you and if there's any way I can help…"

"It's nothing, really. I'm just… Tired."

She didn't look up from her meal and Minion and Megamind exchanged disbelieving looks. Minion hadn't left the house either, though he was a little more informed. Nothing of interest though, mostly riots and tears. Megamind didn't really take any interest in it.

Sad and guilty. Oh yes, there was definitely guilt there. Always in the background. The sheer amount of things that could be the cause was ridiculous. Even so, he decided to think through it again, despite his several past failed attempts.

_Sad. The core. Unhappy, miserable, depressed, gloomy, down, blue, dejected. Discouraged, disparaged, belittled? Ridiculed… Did she still have a job? She hadn't left the house, she wouldn't go on television looking the way she does. She didn't leave the house… Scorned, rejected. No, disregarded. Ignored? No one came to look for her, she had friends, many, but none came to see her. Not since I've been awake…_

"Where are your friends?"

She tensed, pausing for a moment before she continued eating.

"Don't know."

_She's lying, hurt? No, that wasn't hurt. That was anger. Not annoyance or irritation but resentment and hostility. Her actions are mechanical now. She knows I'm watching her._

"Why aren't you working?"

"Fired." She replied a bit too quickly.

"Sir…" Minion warned. He'd seen Megamind do this many times before. Systematically process information until he understood everything he felt he needed to. Of course it wasn't usually centered on a person and it was obvious he was trying to read her like he would a damaged machine. The tone in Minion's voice made him instantly aware of this and he looked away and began eating again.

They finished their meals fairly quickly, despite the fact Megamind constantly paused to watch Roxanne and vice versa. Minion had fallen asleep with the lack of interesting stimuli and even when Megamind was handed back his sketchpad neither of them had the heart to wake him. Roxanne took the dishes upstairs but returned shortly after. Not entirely uncommon but he noticed she sat at the end of his bed instead of on the stall she usually favored. She was uncomfortable but she watched him sketch regardless and he tried desperately to concentrate. His hands shook, yes, but mostly his skin felt cold, expecting contact despite the fact he knew there would be none, or limited. He didn't like being like this. He wanted to be home at evil lair with his large evil bed and his evil pajamas. Born villain that he was. Ever since Minion made him those damn bat slippers he'd hated them, but missed them more than anything now that they were gone. He missed the things Minion had made most. Felt guilty that they were destroyed… Or stolen. That in itself was a truly horrible thought that had him swallowing dryly.

Roxanne was still for a remarkably long time, for a human anyway, and she hadn't itched, shifted or fidgeted for almost twenties minutes. Megamind looked up with a concerned eye expecting to meet her vivid blues but instead met a very weary face and tightly close lids. Had she fallen asleep?

"Ritchie?" he asked slowly, leaning closer. She was still sitting, admittedly slightly slumped but for all appearances she looked awake. Sort of… her mouth was open slightly, she was breathing deeply, and her lids fluttered but didn't open. She was out of it.

"Minion?" he whispered, nudging the bowl and scaring the poor fish awake. He adjusted quickly, obviously used to the wake-up call.

"Hmm?" he mumbled.

"What… What do I do?" he asked, pointing to Roxanne, still sleeping uncomfortably.

"Is she asleep?" Minion asked, looking a little confused.

"I think so. What if she falls down?"

"On the floor?"

"Anywhere."

"Why don't you nudge her then, maybe she'll fall on the mattress?"

"She'll wake up you fool." Megamind replied tight-lipped.

"Yeah… But… You could move her?" Minion offered.

"Where?"

"Umm… The doorway? I can carry her to the lounge upstairs?"

"No, she doesn't sleep well there." He said shaking his head.

"Then leave her here?"

"But…"

He cycled through the information he had on the subject, pranks mostly mixed with scenes between a mother and child and several romantic actions of putting someone to bed. None of which seemed appropriate, and those that did quite impossible considering the circumstances. He couldn't lift his own weight let alone Miss Ritchie's, and even then he'd still have to touch her… If he woke her up and sent her upstairs she'd be wide awake before she could lie down again, and probably wouldn't try to sleep. On the other hand if he woke her and just made her move a little she'd probably still be half asleep, which would work if the couch was on the other side of the room. He… Could probably get her to move up the bed a bit, but then he wouldn't have anywhere to sit, he could shower? How long would she sleep for? She hadn't sleep in some time, which was obvious. She could be out for hours…

He reasoned that he'd rather give up the bed than have her sleep uncomfortably or not at all. It didn't even need that much thought, this was Roxanne, she always ranked above him, always had.

He put his drawing tools away before sliding off the bed, approaching her carefully and touching her shoulder with a delicate finger.

"Miss Ritchie?" he asked. She didn't respond. "Excuse me, Miss Ritchie? Could you wake up a minute?"

There was nothing. She was really exhausted… He placed a full palm on her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake, withdrawing quickly at the burning feeling it produced. His hand itched now but she was still fast asleep. Minion looked concerned; knowing the main issue Megamind was having with this and being unable to help.

"Miss Ritchie?" Megamind tried again, louder this time. Her lids fluttered but didn't open. She was dreaming, and looking more and more uncomfortable the longer he contemplated her position. Finally he decided he'd had enough and in a quick, fluid motion he slid an arm under her legs and around her back, picked her up and settled her back down with her head on the pillow. It was over so quickly Roxanne had barely finished drawing her breath and so smoothly her hair had barely moved. Of course afterwards the mastermind had withdrawn not only from the bed but in on himself, wrapping his arms around his body as it shuddered. Horrible images flashed through his head, being grabbed at by cold angry hands being the main one to cause him distress. He'd done the grabbing, foolish. Why was he forcing himself to see those things? Was he trying to punish himself? He gripped at his arms, leaving dark marks where his nails dug into exposed flesh. He suddenly felt naked.

"Are you okay, sir?" Minion asked worriedly.

"Fine, I'm fine. She's still asleep right? Yes, still asleep. I'm going to go shower." He mumbled quickly, leaving the room faster than he'd been able to move for weeks. He didn't feel safe until he'd locked the bathroom door and sat himself in the far corner of the room with his back against the bathtub.

He could feel his heart beating wildly, his skin burning in every place she'd come in contact with. He itched at it several times, tried to wipe away the feeling but was unable. The idea of undoing his buttons was unfathomable so as a last resort to end the horrible feeling he turned the shower on and quickly sat under the warm water. Closing his eyes tight and willing away the horrible images and feelings associated with being so close to anyone. He wished he had a family during these moments. He knew these things to be faults of the human mind, his mind was very different, and the likelihood of two completely different species being so alike was improbable at best. If he knew just one other like him, if he knew anything about his kind… As it was, he didn't and unless he could randomly come up with one he was in this alone. He curled up in the corner, concentrating on the water.

It took some time for his body to calm and his heartbeat to find a steady pace. His clothes were drenched and he didn't have a clean set to change into. He hadn't considered this before, mostly because he was panicking. It was foolish, his mind was foolish. He couldn't trust it any more than he could trust anyone else. He needed to get over this, gods knew how long he'd be stuck here and he was damn if he'd put up with this every day until she finally kicked him out. He'd go mad! Er.. Madder… He was already a little… Well… He smirked at the memory of a stranger in his final moments of an experiment gone wrong, exploding like fireworks and raining down little bloody apple seeds. It was beautiful. Yeah, not quite sane.

Many years ago while he and Minion attended their primary schooling Minion had suggested that Megamind concentrate on more pleasant things on the occasions where they'd been in close confined of other people, the term people used loosely. It had worked, not well but it helped him keep calm. In later years when closeness was no longer an issue he'd stopped bothering with it and eventually completely forgot. Being with Roxanne though had reminded him. He'd considered it several times already and tried on the odd occasion where she'd touched him by accident. She seemed to have some minimal understanding of what bothered him though she certainly underestimates the seriousness. Unfortunately it worked for minor things he could just… Almost ignore. The big things that really needed it, he couldn't concentrate.

He needed to desensitize himself to her touch. He could handle touching minion, could handle throwing a punch at Wayne, could handle Roxanne when he was fully clothed. All he needed to do was get used to handling her when he wasn't. That sounded remarkably sexual… He felt the need to reconstruct the sentence but found no way he could do so without sounding more or equally inappropriate. He chuckled and uncurled, leaning against the wall and stretching out his legs as far as the shower confines would allow.

Admittedly there had been several times in his youth where he'd thought about it, of course they were merely curious fantasies, quite impossible one might add considering the differences between their anatomies. But he wasn't going to go down that road; he had other, more important things to be thinking about. Like his soaked attire. He couldn't very well go sneaking about the house looking for new clothes either dripping all over Roxanne's floors or streaking around naked. Although amusing, not entirely appropriate. He'd have to wrap himself in a towel before he went streaking. Not quite as funny but healthier on Roxanne's heart, he didn't want to scare her to death. Funny but not worth it.

After settling his nerves to a slight and barely noticeable shaking he pushed himself up off the floor and turned the shower off, shivering at the cold breeze as he opened the glass door in his wet and now considerably cold clothes. He fumbled with the buttons for a while, but eventually managed to undo them on his own, the concentration rather therapeutic and by the time he'd finished undressing he was almost completely calmed and his hands were stable.

If anything he appreciated Roxanne's fondness for lavish toiletries, particularly the massive fluffy black towels that were always ready for him. He wrapped himself up snuggly, making sure he was properly covered, before sliding out into the hall. He could see Roxanne still lying asleep in 'his' bed through the open garage door. She looked worried, even in her sleep, yet more peaceful than he'd seen her since he woke up. He felt guilty for that. He was a burden, he knew it. And he honestly appreciated what she was doing for him, even if he couldn't understand why. He wanted to repay her kindness, but knew no way he could.

The stairs still posed a challenge, a week ago he couldn't take them on his own, he'd tried but failed, he was still week but not shaky. It was a risk and he knew it was irresponsible in his condition, he didn't really care for responsibility. So up he went, carefully and with a lot of breathing time between steps. He made it to the top without issue, proud of himself but also sure he'd never let Roxanne know he took such a risk. There was a short hall ahead of him, and by short he meant two steps and a door. What he expected on the other side was maybe a main room and some rooms leading off that, maybe a hall. What he saw he certainly wasn't expecting.

The large room was strewn with mess, broken furniture and dying plants. A couch, t.v and several tables covered in magazines and papers highlighted and drawn on. The room was L shaped, the lounge at one end and a kitchen at the other, several doors led to unknown rooms and the whole area was impossibly dark. Under a humans gaze it would look like a black abyss, to his eyes, however, he was able to identify shapes and heat patterns where she'd been and how long ago. He found the light switch easily and the room quickly flooded with a dim orange glow. Dimming lights, it suited her. He smiled briefly but it was wiped clean in seconds. The walls of the room were mostly composed of windows, windows with no view outside. Just words, harsh, cruel words. Every inch had been covered from the outside with crudely written notes, posters and threats of death, written in big red letters and even spray painted directly onto the glass. It looked to be a steady buildup of several weeks' worth of work. Warm patches on the curtains meant they'd been shut before, this was obviously why she hadn't allowed them upstairs, it also contributed to her stress and depression, there's no way it wouldn't.

He stood in a slight form of shock, reading each sign faster than a human could possibly manage, and taking in their meaning so rapidly he felt ill.

'Murders, monsters, killers, fiends, we know you have him, burn in hell, we'll kill you both, we hope you die, we'll bomb you, you'll answer to god, we hope he dies, your days are limited, we don't forget, you will be judged, you have been forsaken. You have ten days left. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four…'

Four days left? Until what? His eyes moved rapidly from one sign to the next, but always there, the lingering writing of the first word.

R**e**_T_r**I**_b_U**t**_I_o**N**

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Clothes were easy to find, though it was evident that they once belonged to an ex-partner, they stunk of him and though Megamind had noticed in passing several times before he'd never put two and two together. Of course at the moment he didn't care. He marched back downstairs, well, carefully made his way down and then marched back to the garage, Roxanne was still asleep and though he reached to shake her awake and demand to know what was going on, he didn't. She needed the rest and if anything he was a patient man. Instead he paced. Minion watched silently, curious eyed but still knew enough of his friend to keep his mouth closed until he was prompted. Megamind probably wouldn't have heard anyway, he was thinking through too many things, not that it was unusual; he was a super genius after all.

She slept for many hours, during which he paced almost continuously while Minion watched, or slept also. There was little he could do while sitting in a fish bowl, and even if he wasn't the best he could managed would be to pace alongside his master. Megamind didn't really process through much either, his mental database was processing incredibly slow and accessing the correct files was becoming increasingly difficult. He'd diagnosed the issue quickly. _Sleep Deprivation. _Which wasn't a big deal, he was weak and it came about much faster than it normally would but he was no stranger to it. The only issue was that with only four days ago until an apparent retribution, of which he knew nothing of, he wouldn't be able to come up with a plan, the tools necessary and, of course, be well enough to enact it.

He was used to playing the offence, he'd unleash war and when he was finally battered and bruised he'd give in and plan something new and more exciting. To protect was not a term he'd come across before.

_Protect, Defend, Guard, Look after… Like Roxanne looked after me, cared for me, I will care for her and defend her from harm. She has sacrificed, forfeited her point of existence, her life for my own. I have a debt that needs to be paid whether she expects it or not. Metro City will not harm her; they will not _touch_ her, because she is _mine_._

"Megamind? What are you… Why am I in your bed?"

At first he snapped his head around to look at her, but he was quick to calm and reply with a sarcastic retort. "It's your bed, Miss Ritchie."

"Roxanne, and you're supposed to be in it." She scolded, rubbing at her eyes and yawning.

"You fell asleep, would it have been more appropriate for me to push you onto the floor?"

"Well… Probably. How long have you been standing there, you look… Horrible."

"Thank you, you look equally appalling."

"I think you mean appealing."

He smirked. "Probably. There's something we need to talk about."

"Like you wearing a shirt I didn't give you." She replied bluntly, her face calm. "You saw, didn't you?"

"I did and I disapprove of you lying to me about it."

"I didn't lie, just-"

"Withheld certain truths, yes, and of course you had every right to. You are, after all, entitled to secrets in your own home. After carefully deliberation I've come to the conclusion that, should circumstances be reversed, I would have done exactly the same thing, and so, I have no place to judge."

"But…"

"But we both would have been wrong"

"You're still ill."

"Ill, not incompetent. You should have told me sooner, but as circumstance would have it that is not the reality. Instead you need to tell me now. Everything, Miss Ritchie."

"Roxanne."

"Temptress."

"Villain."

"Yes, and I think you might be too."

Roxanne sighed, a heavy sound that mimicked her defeated expression. Yet when he expected a sad eye, words heavy with guilt, she instead smiled and her bright blue voids narrowed with menace.

"I think it would be a privilege for my villainy to be compared to yours." She snickered. It was an unusual sound to have come from her, not all that unpleasing to the ears to be honest. She moved up the bed, giving the genius room to sit, of course he kept his distance.

"When you stripped Metro man's powers the whole city was pretty peeved but the explosion didn't kill Wayne, he managed to get to me a few minutes after the police 'saved me'" she drawled. "He told them that they should send their full force after you. I didn't see a lot of what happened outside but I heard it, they riled up the civilians when they stormed out there with guns, it was probably only a little while later that you got hurt. Wayne and some medics stayed with me, they were all shocked of course."

"Of course."

"But Wayne managed to convince them he was alright and that they should leave. He wanted me to stick around but I ended up chasing after you. Minion and the warden helped me get you into the car without being seen and we took you here, fixed you up. It would have been fine but I guess Wayne's ego wasn't just because he had super powers. Stormed through the house when he saw the bloody rags and almost choked you there and then."

"He told everyone I was here?"

"No, no he didn't. Mostly because he didn't get a chance. I managed to chase him outside with a gun aimed at his chest, and a bomb in his back pocket. Oaf didn't even notice until _boom_, new street art." She laughed. "I guess a lot of people didn't appreciate it, I thought it was well presented, guess the world just wasn't ready for it."

Megamind stared at her for a few minutes. She fidgeted under his gaze, very obviously uncomfortable with the way he was watching her. He thought that was sort of… Good, pleasant?… Cute? Like a puppy? Well, maybe a little… More importantly though… She killed Wayne. That was also good in a very bad kind of way. He felt odd, proud? Yes, that was definitely the word he was looking for.

"Why are you stressed then? You don't look… Troubled… Not about Wayne's death."

"Wayne? Nah, I'm just sick of people messing with my house, that and I thought you wouldn't be better before they decided on the whole retribution crap."

"You're supposed to be a lady, Miss Ritchie. Ladies do not say crap."

"Fine, retribution poop."

"I'll allow that." He smirked.

"You… You're really that…" he struggled with the right words. "You were willing to do so much for me, yet I've done nothing but kidnap you and use you as bait for years. We're not _friends_."

"By whose definition? You'd take a bullet for me, and I'd take one for you, I'd also take one for Minion. That's the closest thing to friendship I've ever had."

He nodded slowly while Minion, who'd been watching intently for some time, pretended to be asleep, with a wide grin that wasn't in any way deceiving. She was right… That's how he'd explain friendship or at least the basis for it. They knew each other, were willing to sacrifice themselves for each other, according to all his acquired knowledge on the subject, although admittedly not very sizeable, the two points were the core building blocks for good construction.

"Megamind?" Roxanne interrupted his thought process.

"Hmm?"

"You need to get some sleep." She said sternly. "We'll figure something out in the morning."

He nodded, obediently moving up the bed as Roxanne stood and stretched. It was still warm where she'd been laying. It was… Pleasant… "Do you have a plan?"

"Of course I do, you're not the only regularly prepared person in the room."

Person, not quite… "What are you going to do while you wait?" He asked, watching as she smoothed out her clothes and hair.

"Nothing, clean, maybe."

"Could you… Stay here? Draw maybe? Or read a book? Just… Don't go upstairs."

She blinked down at him. "Er, sure." She finally smiled.

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Chapter End ~

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Replies to Reviews

**Reviewer :** Guest

**Said :** _Yeah! New chapter! The suspense is killing me! I need to know what exactly is going on here! Gah! I need more!_

**Response :** No, no more for you. :P

**Reviewer :** doctor anthony

**Said :** _A very good story here so far, I really like it so far. Update soon._

**Response :**Thank you! Glad you like it :)

**Reviewer :** Negative Other

**Said : **_Liking the story. Liking all the attention to psychology. Looking forward to all your updates. Thanks!_

**Response :** Hehe thanks :)

**Reviewer :** VlightPhase

**Said : **_Interesting. Keep it up. I do wish this chapter was a little longer, I don't mind waiting for the extra length._

**Response :** Hope this length is better x3

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Story : 4861 , Notes : 165

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_Like my stories? Why not check out some of my personal works at Fictionpress?_

_I'd love the support :3_

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Notes

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Ooh, none here. You'll have to wait. Because I'm lazy... :D


	4. With Friends Like These

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**Docility**

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By **Syrubis** (_Hyenism_)

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Updated **THURSDAYS **Every **Second** Week  
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Notes from the Author

**Last Chapter**_ ~ A simple trip upstairs revealed a lot of things and while Friends is certainly not a word he would have paired with him and Roxanne, now that it's in place it makes a lot of sense. With so many things coming together he's found that he's not as detached from the ex-reporter as he once thought and it seems they have a lot in common, a thirst for bloody explosions among them._

(This story is from the perspective of the sinister Megamind, for more Fanfiction check out Insecurities, or from the perspective of Roxanne check out Noir et Bleu)

Sorry for the incredibly long wait. I'm trying to get back into it after a lot of unexpected issues. Hopefully I'll be able to start updating again. As always, reviews are very much appreciated, tell me what you do and don't like. I've never written any sort of gore or violence before so this is a new for me, I'm starting slow and will be working my way up so tips and criticism is welcome. I feel like a lot of this is a bit OC and I'm not really happy with it, but it'll do.

The Internal Monologues will be in _ITALIC_  
Notes, data or information read will be in **BOLD **or `_Italic_`

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**Chapter Four xXx With Friends Like These**

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Song for Inspiration

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Morning brought about many new questions and very few answers. For a 'person' of his level of intelligence this wasn't as unusual as one might think, nevertheless, it did little to ease him of the metaphorical burden he had been carrying his entire life.

As a child he'd come to understand that friends was a term used between himself and minion, on the rare occasion, not a term that could be associated between himself and a human. His entire life he'd been ostracized because of what he was and he'd come to the sound conclusion that his kind and their kind were incapable of mingling on an equal playing field, Roxanne on the other hand had just blown that once sound theory into a million scattered pieces which led the genius to an odd, somewhat life changing, conclusion. She didn't see what he was, but, who he was.

And that simply left him with the earth shattering question- who was he? He was the bad guy, the killer, the hunter, the villain. He was the one who always pulled the trigger, the guy at the end of the gun. He was the person you booed at when you saw him stand next to the hero, the one you always wanted dead. He was the bad guy in every book, he wore the face of every murder. So why was it this charming, once innocent, woman had chosen him over the other side, the right side. The good side, the hero's side. What did he have that made her cross that border? He didn't lure her with trickery, didn't offer her wealth or power. She came to him of her own choosing which begged the answer, why? Who was he to her?

He was who he was. And she wanted that in her life…

"Most people don't wake up looking that confused."

_Indeed_. "Good morning, Miss Ritchie."

"Morning, sleeping beauty."

_Eyes bright, alert and slightly glossy. She's had enough rest._

"It's good to see you so… Awake." He yawned, propping himself up on one arm.

"Wish I could say the same, you look like crap, I can barely stand to see it."

He narrowed his eyes challengingly. "I said it was good to see you awake, not that you looked good."

"You're right, I look great! Don't I?" she replied, leaning in closer with a sly grin.

"Well your mass certainly does." He mimicked her grin, admittedly with a more sinister glow.

"Oh? So that's how you want to play this, dare a point out your distinct lack of mass?"

"I'm not sure I feel the insult." He chuckled, leaning in closer as though trying to scare her off with his fangs.

"I'm not sure anyone feels anything at all where you're involved."

"Not what your mother said last night."

Roxanne blinked for a couple of moments, her smile fading. "Did you just… Really? A 'your mother' joke? Have you no shame?" she laughed. He could feel her breath tickle his face, smell her scent. It finally occurred to him how close he'd gotten and he moved away quickly. It didn't go unnoticed and Roxanne quickly pulled back too, her eyes downcast as she tried to avoid his own green gaze. He'd made her uncomfortable, it wasn't necessary.

"I'm sorry." He said gently. "I don't mean to offend."

"Oh, no, you don't." she said quickly. Looking anywhere but at him. It wasn't that he didn't want to… It's not like he did, either. Not quite… Anyway. Roxanne was a very peculiar case, for as long as she'd been a reporter he'd kidnapped her time and time again, sure he said it was because of Wayne but that wasn't entirely true. They'd banter a lot, sometimes chat, more jokingly but there was always something honest in the way she'd speak. He enjoyed her company, there was no denying it, and he knew she was of the same mind. They had an understanding of sorts but after the years went on both of them noticed that sometimes the kidnappings were… unnecessary, simply opportunities for him to see her. Not for any real purpose, they'd just joke, mock one another but she'd smile at him. One of those fleeting gentle smiles, like she was saying goodbye just before her rescue. No one… No one smiled like she did… Not to him.

"So… You wanted to talk?" he asked slowly, sitting up properly in bed to give her his full attention.

"Right, about the plan." She nodded. "It's nothing grand, not in comparison to yours. It's not safe for us to stay here. Just outside the city there's a small farm town, lots of fields and not a whole lot of people, there's an old abandoned school there. It's pretty big, three stories. We could take up residence in the school, convert it into a decent lair."

"A… School… And you're sure?"

"Yeah, it's easy to miss and not many people even know it's still out there, I checked with the warden too, it's owned by an elderly woman who lives nearby. She doesn't get out much." She said with a wink. "The trouble is, it's still a fair drive, and you're not well enough to be out of a bed for so long."

"I think I'll be just fine sleeping in the back seat." He said with a quirked brow. "I'm not _that_ sick."

Roxanne smiled but averted her gaze again, brushing her hair behind her ear. "It's not just that, though. I mean, honestly I'm not entirely sure why we've been so lucky until now, but if we tried to leave I'm sure people would attack us, what happens if we get stuck in traffic? Or even slow down long enough for them to start whatever it is they're going to do? You're sick, and I'm just… Me. She sighed in a rather depressed manner, slumping in her seat and resting her hands in her lap.

_Just me? She spoke it in a way one might refer to a grain of sand. Just me, insignificant, inconsequential, irrelevant, unimportant. She slumped, she was ashamed. Of what? How could she even reason such a thing? _

"The invisible car?"

"Gone" she replied apologetically.

He smiled. "Miss Ritchie, you wouldn't mind if I pulled apart some of your electronics, would you?"

"Depends which ones, you're not touching my laptop."

"I'll just need it for some programming, but it will remain intact." He winked.

"What ones will you need?" she asked with a smile, standing up and brushing herself off, which was entirely ridiculous as she had nothing to brush off in the first place. He beamed up at her like a child then slowly began listing off what he'd need.

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His bed had turned into a pile of assorted mechanics, tools lay across his lap and broken wiring tangled around his blankets. Roxanne had given him a desk that stretched just over his legs, and another beside his bed, all of which were covered in tiny pieces of machinery, that appeared to be a mess but was carefully categorized and placed as per his minds request. He was lost to the world as he worked, blissfully unaware of the troubles around him. Minion and Roxanne were upstairs, baking he'd guess, judging from the pleasant smell wafting down to greet him.

So far he'd found the sufficient parts to make two watches, they were fully programmed and once scanned with a sufficient body they'd be in full working order. The third was slightly more difficult to make, and he'd been unable to find the right sized cog and so had to replace and re-create a large section of working mechanics.

Roxanne was rather taken with the watch he'd created some time ago, he'd used it in a few kidnappings and she was always rather keen to hear how it worked. Of course he'd never told her, even villains had secrets. Nevertheless once he'd told Roxanne he'd be able to make more she'd assisted him in forming a rather flawless plan. The two would lure in three civilians, kill them or knock them unconscious, scan them, hide them, then leave. They'd have to walk a short way, which would be the biggest challenge for him, but after that they'd easily be able to get a car and make their way out of the city.

Roxanne had suggested that they speak to the warden prior, to assure them that after their part was played there'd be no issues, no being pulled over for their stolen vehicle, no being trapped by traffic. Easy sailing, if you will. He wasn't sure, he didn't know if the warden could be trusted, he was an ally in this, had always been a bit of an ally, but this was very different. He'd rather take his chances.

The warden had few weaknesses, power being one of them. Megamind had little doubt that this particular weakness was the driving force in their current alliance, there was a debt here, whether Roxanne know of it or not. There was always something else, no one ever helped without expecting something in return. For Roxanne it may very well just be the fact he's still alive, but that wasn't something that made sense to him.

He didn't want to keep stressing over it, he just wanted to work. And so he did, for many hours. In the end he'd dismantled and reconstructed all three watches several times, re-programmed them all appropriately, and now had them laid out before him. They had to be perfect, there wasn't time for error. If the fields were too large they'd appear distorted, pixelated. Too small and their true bodies would poke through the digital meshing. They had to be perfectly adjusted to give them about two centimeters give between flesh and imagery, and the largest had to be capable of making minion not seem as… Massive, as he really was.

Roxanne made her way downstairs, her steps lighter, largely due to being so well rested. He turned to face her as she entered the room, well, garage.

"How are you going?" she asked, placing a plate of cookies on a small section of empty table.

"All done." He replied with a stretch, he closed his eyes in a yawn and was surprised to find Roxanne's orbs focused on his stomach when he finally opened his own. He puts his arms down slowly, severally aware of his exposed skin. He smirked. "What're you looking at?" he mocked, propping his elbows on the table and resting his head on his hands, a wide mocking smile across his face. He'd expected her to joke back, not look guilty. His eyes narrowed, becoming analytical.

"Uh, nothing!" She said rather quickly. "So, when are we going to lure someone in?" she asked, obviously changing the subject. Megamind didn't answer for a moment as he focused on her, in particular the way she was acting. She'd come in quite relaxed but now looked like she was on her toes, ready to flee.

_Avoiding eye-contact, fidgeting, rubbing her arms, nervous, uncomfortable. Blushing? Yes, definitely tinted cheeks. Embarrassment, awkwardness, unease? _

She was probably put off, he was far from human, tiny in comparison to the typical male of her species, his structure similar to that of the starving, though his bones did not protrude. He slid back from the table, leaning against the back of the bed and putting as much distance between the two as possible. Another reminder of how different they were, he supposed.

"Any time you're ready, I'd like to test it first, though. I just need you to try it on, I've scanned…" he slowed to a stop, his eyes unfocused as he stared into the distance. He'd scanned himself… Would she be, put off? He needed to test it, and he couldn't ask to scan her and then go running around in her skin… Somehow his mind had reasoned that it would be okay for her to do so instead, but out of the two of them, she'd be more disgusted by that…

"Oh? So you want me to put it on, see if it covers me or whatnot?" She asked, completely oblivious to his inner turmoil. She took the watch from the table and fitted it around her wrist. He watched her with concern; she was a clever one but for some reason was completely indifferent to the scenario. Maybe she'd missed something? Maybe he'd missed something…

She looked it over for a bit, curious, before spinning the dial to the correct setting, a hastily scribbled 'one'. For a moment it did nothing. Then, with a whir, it began to work. Roxanne watched in fascination as the glow began to silhouette her before wrapping her in a dull red mesh. It filled in slowly, the watch ticking as each pixel coloured in. It wavered, as though unsure just how tall or wide she was and she looked up at him curiously.

He smiled affectionately. "It's because it's the first time you've used it. It needs to adjust the scans to fit your body properly. Otherwise it may bend the scan mid fore-arm instead of the elbow. Issues like that."

She watched it, her skin flickering to a dark blue shade, the sleeves of her top disappearing as they were replaced with his own. To her, it was amazing, to him… He watched it with horror. Her hands were instinctually drawn to the new fabric, her blue fingers touching the surface, sinking partially in. "Whoa. Trippy."

"Indeed." He replied to the perfect mirrored image of himself. Admittedly slightly thicker to compensate for her breasts, which he was thankful for. The last thing he wanted to see was his own form with Roxanne's chest poking through his skin.

"I still sound like me?"

"I don't have the right parts to convert your voice." He replied apologetically, she seemed too excited to notice. For some unknown reason she seemed to be having a lot of fun walking around in his skin, her expression looking painfully odd on his face. She giggled excitedly, twirling on the spot. Megamind made a mental note to never EVER do that himself.

"Just watching you is an offense to my body." He mocked, drumming his fingers on the table, there was a discomfort in the pit of his stomach that ought not be there.

"Really? I think I pull it off really well, here, watch, my villain walk!" she laughed, hunching over and clasping her hands in front of her, grinning like a half crazed psycho. That was a look he needed to mirror, it was quite possibly the most disturbing sight he'd ever seen.

"Okay, you can take me off now."

She giggled lightly. "That just sounds so… Wrong…"

"Imagine how I'm feeling."

Roxanne laughed, flicking the dial and watching as the mesh faded quickly, revealing her beneath. Megamind smiled, waving her over and taking the watch as she offered it back to him. When it was safely in his palm he moved to close his fingers around it, capturing her hand in his, entirely be accident. He felt his hand burn and the look he gave her must have been one of shock, or complete and utter fear, because the same look quickly mimicked in her own eyes. He hated that look on her, more than anything. She was frozen, terrified, and unsure of what to do; he could see it all in those gorgeous orbs.

He didn't withdraw his hand, he ignored the burning, and instead brought his other hand on top of hers, a gentle smile crossing his usually harsh features. "Keep hold of it, it's yours now." He said gently. He watched her face soothe, she returned his smile and after a moment he slowly moved back and he let his hands return to his lap, instantly sorting through the remains of disassembled machines. He didn't look up again, he could feel her, it burnt but he ignored it. He would not 'wipe her away'. He didn't want her to feel like that around him again, so uncertain. It made his stomach turn.

"I'm going to go let minion know they're finished." She said with a grin, practically dancing out of the room while she fiddled with the watch. She seemed happy now, had he made the right move?

In the short but overbearing silence that followed he itched at his hands several times then crossed his arms, the sound of his heart thrumming in his ears. It wasn't just fear though, that couldn't be it. There was something else, which for many year's he'd ignored. At a younger age he had been rather… Fond… Of the lovely Miss Ritchie, but after some time had come to except that there was nothing and would never be anything there. He'd always had a liking for her, but there was a time where he could safely say he wanted her to be his. He hadn't considered her in that way since. He didn't know, but he recognized the fear of rejection, the worry over how she was feeling in his presence.

He knew it was because of all she'd done that made him like this, and he'd knew once it settled into place he'd be just fine. That didn't stop his mind from wondering. He didn't want her, and though he might need her now he wouldn't forever, she'd leave eventually and that didn't make him sad. He wasn't interested in her the same as all those years ago, and he'd never be interested in her, they were too different and quite frankly he doubted their anatomy's were made to work together. Nevertheless he felt like he wanted her to be happy, and when she smiled it made him smile and feel like everything was okay. He supposed it wasn't that bad, but he'd be happier when he didn't have that kind of attachment to anyone.

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When the sun began to disappear, giving way to the silent of night, Roxanne practically dragged him from his bed. He'd fallen asleep just a short while ago and had been woken to the seize and capture of his blankets. Roxanne merely laughed at him in much the same manner he used to laugh at others before he killed them, it was unnerving in a really lovely way. He grinned up at the figure towering over him, water gun in hand.

"You really do have the most peculiar ways of waking someone, or is it just me you want to strip and soak?"

"You're wearing the right clothes for a wet top contest, but no, I like to strip and soak all the men that sleep in my bed."

"Oh? You little mynx." He grinned. "And here I thought you'd be the shy kind."

Roxanne scoffed then grinned playfully, aiming the gun at him, he held his hands up in defense and after a several minute silent showdown Roxanne allowed him his freedom and dryness. Well, until he called her spineless, at which point she 'shot' him square in the chest.

Megamind shivered at the unwelcome chill but with pressing matters he chose to allow her this victory, which earned him another scoff, before the two made their way upstairs. It was a difficult feat for the genius, but with Roxanne's assistance he was able to reach the top without collapsing. His recovery was going as schedule, but the wounds were deep, he was healing almost perfectly on the outside but he could feel the discomfort of bruising and cuts deeper than he was used to.

Roxanne helped him over to the couch and set herself on the coffee table facing him, paying no mind to the books and papers she sat on. She'd changed clothes from earlier, black jeans and a thin turtleneck, the material stretched easily and highlighted her most positive features. He considered her for a moment, but decided it would be more beneficial to pay attention to what she was saying, not that he couldn't do both but it seemed fairly pointless.

"I think we should wait for one of the smaller groups to come by and start messing around with the house, then I'll scream for help and we'll slug them when they come upstairs."

"Slug them? Oh, Miss Ritchi, that's terribly juvenile." He commented, folding his arms against his chest.

"Want to make me a stun gun? No? Then shush." She scowled, but the twinkle of amusement in her eyes betrayed the sincerity behind it.

"Very well" he mocked. "But I'm not sure… 'Slugging' them will work, it's very hard to tell how long they'll stay unconscious, or even if you'll be able to get them down before they hurt you." There was a tone of worry in his voice; he felt betrayed that it was even there.

"From a second till forever." She sighed, obviously quoting something she'd read. "My chances with a large heavy object are far better than just asking them to sit quietly while I copy their face."

"Probably, but your chances with a knife are better, a gun even better than that." He said, his tone even as he held her gaze, watching for the moment his meaning dawned on her.

She blinked at him for a moment before her eyes narrowed and he found his own analytical stare matched and doubled in ferocity. She was reading him, too, determining if he was serious, or if this was a test. Well, he suspected as much, really she could very well have been contemplating his nose for all he knew. Her muscles didn't tighten, she was still visibly relaxed.

"I don't have a gun." She replied dully.

"But you have a knife."

"I do."

"Can you use it?"

She smiled. "I think I can figure it out."

He watched her intently, her mouth was curved in a sinister smile. _She's smiling but it only touches her lips, her eyes show amusement, wider than normal, they do not match the expression she is trying to show, but both are sincere. She's not nervous, uncomfortable, afraid, but excited._

She'll be Remorseless.

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When the time rolled by, which seemed far too long for the aliens liking, the two made their preparations. They were quick, packed some bags with what few possessions Roxanne found valuable, and some useful parts from Megamind's junked machines. They didn't end up with all that much and the whole lot fit securely in two backpacks and an old grocery bag Roxanne had in the kitchen drawers.

Megamind sat himself carefully on the bed in the garage, looking over the room as though it held some sort of deep emotional link to himself. Perhaps it did, after all, this was where he realized he still lived, rescued by the very person he assumed would be his downfall. He sighed and slid his sketchbook into the bag by his feet, zipping it up slowly before resting it beside him on the mattress. He folded his hands in his lap as he waited, Minion looming frighteningly from the doorway, watching his master with concerned eyes.

"Everything alright, sir?"

"Of course." He said, brushing the comment away with his tone.

"IIII Dunno, sir. You look a little less blue than normal."

Megamind considered his friend for a moment, he felt like he'd been ignoring him a bit the last few days, he knew this wasn't true but now that he was associating with someone else the time they were separated felt longer. That and he knew full well Minion could deal with anyone they wanted to scan, and he was sure Roxanne knew too. He was treating her like a guinea pig, he wanted to see if she could do what was required should their alliance be continued, their friendship. It wasn't fair, and it could be putting her in a lot of danger.

"She'll do fine, sir. You didn't see her when… Well, you know. Trust me, she's more capable than you think."

Megamind folded his arms against his chest, smirking at the little aquatic friend. How was it he always knew what was troubling him?

"Hey, there are four of them out front, they're planning to through a Molotov, you guys ready?" Roxanne asked, peering over Minions shoulder, having obviously missed their brief exchange. Megamind Nodded, sliding off the bed and swinging the heavy bag over his shoulder as he followed the other two. He dropped it by the door as he passed, where Roxanne stayed behind as she waited for Megamind to take his place upstairs.

He heard the small explosion of the Molotov and cringed, he despised humans, he really did, present company excluded. They were such filthy creatures. His mind flooded with information on past and present torture methods, crimes, disgusting habits and a whole lot more.

The trip upstairs was less tiring than before, mostly because Minion was there to keep him steady. He didn't switch the lights on but took his seat at the opposite end of the room. This would be the first time he ever played decoy. It was an odd sensation, a little fun, it would have been more so if he wasn't so worried that Roxanne would get hurt.

"Please, you have to help me!" Roxanne called out the front door, her voice muffled from below. Megamind wanted to respond to that call, even though he knew it was fake. He heard her talking frantically bellow but couldn't make out anything she was saying, whatever it was had worked, though, and within moments there were several sets of feet running up the stairs. They exploded into the lounge area as though someone's life depended on it but where disorientated in the sudden darkness of the room. Megamind's eyes were accustomed to this, he could see perfectly, in particular the yellow heat marks of three fully grown men, not for.

"Where's your forth?" He asked nonchalantly. They blinked into the darkness, finally seeing him just ahead. One of them turned around, looking for a missing companion. At which point he was grabbed by Minion. There was the audible crack followed by a hollowed thump as his body fell dead-weight to the floor. The remaining two jumped back slightly, quickly stepping away from the hulking form. One of them turned to run back downstairs but he only made the first two steps before there was a gasp, a muffled howl of pain and then the squelching sound of a knife being dragged haphazardly through flesh. There was a brief moment of silence before a loud slosh and several consecutive thuds followed as the male toppled down towards the bottom of the stairs.

Roxanne stepped into the room calmly, she wasn't used to the darkness either but she was easily able to locate the final male as he began stepping away slowly, his hands up defensively. "W-What are you d-doing?!" he asked, his body trembling. He tumbled over the coffee table and skittered away like a fearful rodent. Roxanne followed like the predator she was proving to be. There was a moment where both Megamind and Minion held their breath as the man, finally cornered, hurled himself towards the smaller woman, fearful for his life. She was struck and the two fell painfully, tangled up in each other's limbs.

Megamind quickly stood and rushed forward but his actions were unnecessary, within seconds Roxanne had managed to impale the man's throat on her knife and twisted it sloppily, drowning out the gurgling scream in seconds. He slumped on top of her and everything was silent.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Roxanne finally grumbled, to which there were several sighs of relief. Minion made his way over and lifted the man easily, Roxanne was covered in blood by this point, which she seemed a little displeased with but certainly not troubled or sickened, which was a good sign. Megamind was worried she might feel repulsed or anxious over what she had been asked to do, but she seemed to be handling herself well so far. He offered her his hand, which she refused and pushed herself up, wiping her face on her sleeve as she did so.

"Oh that was gross." She grumbled. "I hope that guy didn't have something bad, I think I got some in my mouth."

Megamind chuckled. "If he did, I can fix it, given some time and a new lab."

Roxanne scoffed "I'll hold you to that."

Megamind chuckled again, now turning his attention to the male Minion was still holding. "We won't be able to scan this one, everyone would see the slice. How are the other two?

"Umm…" Roxanne started, finally giving up on cleaning away the thick liquid. "The first one was the spine, the second one was the stomach, but I accidently sliced it open and everything sort of… Oozed out. But we can cover that with a shirt, right?" She asked, unsure.

"Should be fine, we'll just have to remove the leftovers before we scan, or it'll try incorporating it into the image, and that might be hard to explain."

"Just a bit" Roxanne laughed. "I'll go wash up a bit, then we'll leave." She added, tossing him her watch as she made her way back down the stairs, making a few remarks on the mess.

_She's remorseless._

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Chapter End ~

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Replies to Reviews

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_Will reply to reviews next time, lovelies!_

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Story : 5,198 , Notes : ~

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_Like my stories? Why not check out some of my personal works at Fictionpress?_

_I'd love the support :3_

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Notes

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None this time round.


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